Minors-Under 16 Season 1970-1971

Manager Mr Jimmy Stewart

Secretary Mr Jimmy Stewart

After such a disappointing season it was hoped that Jimmy Stewart who in his day was a very tricky and talented inside forward would weld together the very young talent that was attracted to the club.

Wednesday 5th August 1970

Roselea change name to Jeanfield Swifts likewise in the City Boy League

Saturday 20th August 1970

Inchhead Athletic go into abeyance

Wednesday 2nd September 1970

League Cup draw
Section 1: Strathtay, Southend, Jeanfield Swifts
Section 2: PCBC, Letham, Tayside

Saturday 5th September 1970

Letham U16 v Tayside (League Cup - Home)
Team from: Gerrard, Gunn, Bennett, Hogg, Edwards, J Dixon, M Dixon, Henry, McMahon, McLaggan, Percival, Brown, Watson.

Letham 2 - Tayside 7

Saturday 12th September 1970

Letham U16 v Southend (League - Away)

Letham are asked to note that they are now the home team today as the venue has been switched due to lack of pitches on the North Inch. With Letham and Southend both on the losing end of their opening games they will be all out to win their first points in direct opposition

Letham 5 - Southend 5

Southend were in the unfortunate position of having to field only 9 players due to late call offs. In a game of fluctuating fortunes Letham took a two goal lead after 15 minutes only to see their depleted opponents turn the tables by scoring three before half-time. Once again the homesters took over with the help of the Southend defence and another three quick goals swung the game back their way before the gallant nine pegged back 2 goals needed to snatch a point.

League positions as at Wednesday 16th September 1970
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Perth City Boys Club  2 2 0 0 12  5 4 
    Jeanfield Swifts      2 1 1 0 18  3 3 
    Tayside               2 1 1 0 10  5 3 
    Southend              2 0 1 1  7 10 1 
    LETHAM                2 0 1 1  7 12 1 
    Strathtay             2 0 0 2  3 22 0 
Saturday 19th September 1970

Letham U16 v PCBC (League Cup - Away)

PCBC 7 - Letham 3

Letham were forced to make up their team with three younger lads in place of some of the boys who did not manage in from the country. Despite this they played very well at the outset and led 2-1 at one point. However as the game wore on the Boys Club gradually took a hold and won comfortably in the end. Gunn was outstanding at right back for Letham.

Saturday 26th September 1970

Letham U16 v Jeanfield Swifts (League - Home)

Letham 2 - Jeanfield Swifts 12

Letham were again forced to field three or four youngsters to make up the side.

Saturday 3rd October 1970

Letham U16 v Tayside (League Cup - Away)

Tayside 6 - Letham 2

Letham did well to hold Tayside to six goals. This result must give them some heart.

Saturday 10th October 1970

Letham U16 v PCBC (League Cup - Home)

Letham 2 - PCBC 4

Boys Club looked set for a big score against Letham after notching two goals early on but the homesters settled down to make quite an even game of it

League positions as at Saturday 10th October 1970
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Tayside               4 3 1 0 26  9 7 
    Jeanfield Swifts      3 2 1 0 30  5 5 
    Perth City Boys Club  1 1 0 0  7  3 2 
    LETHAM                2 0 0 2  4 19 0 
    Strathtay             4 0 0 4  7 38 0 

  Section 1 League Cup 
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Jeanfield Swifts      1 1 0 0  4  1 2 
    Strathtay             1 0 0 1  1  4 0 

  Section 2 League Cup 
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Tayside               2 2 0 0 17  2 4 
    Perth City Boys Club  3 2 0 1 11 16 4 
    LETHAM                3 0 0 3  7 17 0 
Saturday 17th October 1970

Letham U16 v Jeanfield Swifts (League - Away)

Jeanfield Swifts 7 - Letham 0

Jeanfield Swifts continued their neck and neck race with Tayside for the League Championship by beating an improving Letham side comfortably in the end. Letham play very coolly and confidently out of defence but need that extra thrust up front to take the weight off their rearguard.

League Cup section 2 as at Saturday 17th October 1970
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Tayside               3 3 0 0 24  3 6 
    Perth City Boys Club  4 2 0 2 12 24 4 
    LETHAM                3 0 0 3  8 17 0 
League positions as at Saturday 17th October 1970
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Jeanfield Swifts      4 3 1 0 37  5 7 
    Tayside               4 3 1 0 26  9 7 
    Perth City Boys Club  1 1 0 0  7  3 2 
    LETHAM                3 0 0 3  4 26 0 
    Strathtay             4 0 0 4  7 38 0 
Saturday 24th October 1970

Free Day

Saturday 31st October 1970

Letham U16 v Strathtay (League - Away)

Strathtay stand a good chance of gaining their first brace of "legitimate" points at Letham's expense

Strathtay 0 - Letham 13

Letham must have turned on the style well and truly to give Strathtay such a heavy defeat when it looked odds on a home win. Jimmy Stewart's boys will be in good heart now when they tackle the Boys Club this week, the latter decisively beaten by Tayside.

League positions as at Wednesday 11th November 1970
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Jeanfield Swifts      5 4 1 0 48  5 9 
    Tayside               5 4 1 0 43  9 9 
    LETHAM                4 1 0 3 17 26 2 
    Perth City Boys Club  3 1 0 2  8 31 2 
    Strathtay             5 0 0 5  7 51 0 
Saturday 14th November 1970

Game cancelled

Saturday 21st November 1970

No Fixture

League positions as at Wednesday 25th November 1970
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Jeanfield Swifts      6 5 1 0 51  8 11 
    Tayside               6 4 1 1 45 12  9 
    LETHAM                5 1 0 4 17 26  2 
    Strathtay             6 1 0 5 19 53  2 
    Perth City Boys Club  4 1 0 3 10 43  2 
Saturday 28th November 1970

Letham U16 v Tayside (League Cup - Away)

Game off due to frost

Saturday 5th December 1970

No Fixture

Saturday 12th December 1970

Letham U16 v PCBC (League - Away)

Saturday 19th December 1970

Letham U16 v Tayside (League Cup - Away)

Tayside 8 - Letham 2

Tayside already section winners seem to have won comfortably enough in the end although Letham were not so much out of it as the score suggests.

Saturday 26th December 1970

Letham U16 v Strathtay (League - Home)

Letham 8 - Strathtay 7

In what was probably the most entertaining match of the season Letham and Strathtay produced a real goal feast. Played in ding-dong fashion, but very sportingly, the game was so close that at no time was either side more than two goals in front. The measure of the pace and tension can be gauged by the final two minutes when Strathtay scored what looked like being the equaliser at 7-7 only to see their opponents snatch the winner before time up. Scorers for Letham were Jimmy Dixon (4), Hugh Stewart (2), Barclay Gunn and Ian McLagan. Steve Mackle(4) Bobby Porter(2) and Frank Martin got Strathtay's goals.

Saturday 9th January 1971

Letham U16 v PCBC (League - Home)

Match postponed due to weather conditions

Saturday 16th Januaty 1971

Letham U16 v PCBC (League - Home)

Letham 10 - PCBC 0

A much younger Boys Club team managed to hold Letham to 0-2 at half-time, but size and ground conditions were against them and Letham won easily in the end.

In the PCBC notes - PCBC were heavily defeated by the go-ahead Letham team.

League positions as at Wednesday 20th January 1971
                          P W D L  F  A Pts 
    Jeanfield Swifts      7 6 1 0 64  8 13 
    Tayside               6 4 1 1 45 12  9 
    LETHAM                6 3 0 3 35 33  6 
    PCBC                  5 1 0 4 10 53  2 
    Strathtay             8 1 0 7 26 74  2 
Saturday 23rd January 1971

Free day as St Johnstone V Raith Rovers in 3rd Rd Scottish Cup

Saturday 30th January 1971

No game - Due to postal strike

Saturday 6th February 1971

Letham U16 v Tayside (2nd Rd. Douglas Blackley Trophy)

Letham were unable to field a team so Tayside have a walk over. As so many boys from the country and not on the telephone it was impossible at short notice to arrange for the boys to meet. Incidentally the PA photographer was on the Inch and took the photograph of Tayside. They had only nine players in the picture.

Saturday 13th February 1971

Letham U16 v PCBC (League - Away)

Boys Club get the chance to show what their youngsters can do against Letham, with the possibility of the game taking place on the North Inch at pitch No.13.

Saturday 20th February 1971

No Fixture

Saturday 27th February 1971

No Fixture

Saturday 6th March 1971

Teams selected for trial match.
Team A: R Scott-Jeanfield Swifts, B Gunn-Letham, G Edwards-Letham , A Smith-Strathtay, R Payton-Strathtay, T Peterson-Jeanfield Swifts, G Smith-Tayside, I Miller-Jeanfield Swifts, D Milne-Jeanfield Swifts, A Henry-Tayside, M Ferrie-Tayside, Reserves- J Edwards-PCBC, G Grant-Tayside
Team B: I Simpson-Letham , B Stewart-Jeanfield, L Hutchison-Jeanfield, J Townsley-Strathtay, R garden-Tayside, R Hoolachan-Tayside, D Christie-Jeanfield, J McWilliam-Tayside, R Barr-Tayside, J Lamond-Tayside, S Mackie-Strathtay. Reserves- R Laahs-Jeanfield Swifts

Saturday 13th March 1971

No Fixture

Saturday 20th March 1971

Letham U16 v PCBC (Semi-Final Gillie Bros. Cup - Away)

PCBC 0 - Letham 5

Despite playing throughout with only nine lads, Letham won their semi-final handsomely in the end. In the first half with the wind in their favour, Boys Club gave as good as they got and continued to impress with their teamwork. Size was against them however and the depleted Letham made good use of the ball into the bargain and it was no surprise they scored five times in the second half. Jimmy Edwards of Boys Club had to be removed to PRI with a shoulder injury during this period, which was later discovered to be a fractured shoulder.

Select Team to play Tayside City Boys on Wednesday 24th March 1971 included I Simpson and B Gunn of Letham

Saturday 27th March 1971

No Fixture

Wednesday 31st March 1971

For the trial matches I Simpson and B Gunn were included in the probable team with G Edwards as a reserve. W Bennett and D McLagan were listed in the possible team.

Saturday 3rd April 1971

No Fixture

Tuesday 13th April 1971

Letham U16 v Jeanfield Swifts (Final - Gillie Cup)

Jeanfield Swifts 3 - Letham 0

Letham provided Jeanfield with keen opposition for most of the game in an entertaining match, despite the lively ball and the bumpy pitch. Swifts were frustrated on several occasions by Letham's offside tactics, while the long through ball was going straight to the Letham keeper on the bounce. Neither keeper was called on often to make positive saves but both showed brilliance when the all out effort was required. Bob Scott of Swifts had luck on his side near the finish when a header came off the bar into his arms.

It was well into the second half before Jeanfield snatched the vital opening counter,Ray Smethurst capping a fine performance by stabbing the ball home, following a corner kick on the right. This seemed to settle Swifts and now they began to play more attractive football up the wings, which resulted in cut back crosses for D Milne to slide home easily from close in.

The donor of the trophy Councillor Henry Giulianotti handed over the trophy to the captain of the winning team at the close of the match and generously intimated his intention to institute as from now a payment of £3.00 to the winning club and £2.00 to the runners up. His gesture is greatly appreciated by the Minor F.A.

Saturday 17th April 1971

I Simpson and B Gunn of Letham selected to play in a Select match against Panmure City Boys

Saturday 15th May 1971

Perth Minor Select V Fife at Leven - kick off 3.00p.m. resulted in a 5-3 win for the Fife side

Roll of honour for Season 1970-1971
                                Winners              Runners up 
    League Champions            Jeanfield            Swifts Tayside 
    Gillie Bros. Cup            Jeanfield Swifts 3   LETHAM 0 
    St Johnstone YM League Cup  Jeanfield Swifts 8   Tayside 2 

Steady progress was made throughout the season. Barclay Gunn, "Ted" Edwards, Willie Bennett and I Simpson all displayed considerable talent and potential. Jimmy Stewart in his quiet and efficient manner improved the team and managed to secure more young talent to the club. To reach a cup final and only lose to the best team in the league by far by only three goals said it all. He had problems in communication especially as we had so many boys from outside Perth. The club as a whole had a very good season.


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